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Was at the tire shop today and the last times I've gone over there the tire shine they used lasted forever, so I asked what it was. Turns out it's silicone mold release. They showed me, it said Borg Eqpt BPSILC on the label. After some googling, I found it: http://yourtireshopsupply.com/produc...nt-1gal-bpsilc

So, review:
It's beautiful and lasts an incredibly long time and doesn't fling all over the bumper.

Question:
Does this have any chemicals that will damage the rubber? Don't want to hurt the tire just to make it purdy.

I have never understood the desire for a tire to "shine". They aren't supposed to shine. Even fresh out of the mold they don't shine (yes, even with the mold release on them). Tires are black (most of 'em), and a clean black looks far better to me than a phony wet shine. Just my $.02. YMMV.

Was at the tire shop today and the last times I've gone over there the tire shine they used lasted forever, so I asked what it was. Turns out it's silicone mold release. They showed me, it said Borg Eqpt BPSILC on the label. After some googling, I found it: http://yourtireshopsupply.com/produc...nt-1gal-bpsilc

So, review:
It's beautiful and lasts an incredibly long time and doesn't fling all over the bumper.

Question:
Does this have any chemicals that will damage the rubber? Don't want to hurt the tire just to make it purdy.

If not, I'm going to buy a bunch of this, it's great.

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Silicone is pretty neutral (unless you inject it into your boobs) so no worries on it degrading the tires. It does have a nasty tendency to migrate so if you've used it on your tires for a while you can forget about painting the wheels without getting some running or fish eye. If you wear contact lens, make certain you wear disposable gloves when you apply it to the tires or it will transfer to your lens when you handle them and cloud them, even if you've washed your hands. There's no known solvent for silicone so it gets dispersed not diluted, that's why the shine last so long on your tires.

Chad, I've recently switched to using tire gels, rather than sprays. The only gel available at my local big box auto store is from Black Magic (THIS stuff). It keeps the tires looking great for a really long time, even after rain and car washes. My tires look good for over a month after applying. I'll admit, it is a bit shiny for my taste at first, but after a few days it soaks in a little bit and becomes less glossy and more of a semi-gloss. Since it's a gel, you don't get any sling like you do with the sprays, either. Takes considerably longer to apply than a spray, but I think it's well worth it. I always hated tire shines in a can due to A) having to breath it while applying, B) cleaning up over-spray, C) short lifespan, and D) sling.

I have never understood the desire for a tire to "shine". They aren't supposed to shine. Even fresh out of the mold they don't shine (yes, even with the mold release on them). Tires are black (most of 'em), and a clean black looks far better to me than a phony wet shine. Just my $.02. YMMV.

That's more or less what this does. I'm not a huge fan of tires that looked dunked in grease either; this makes them a nice deep black with a little sheen to it without looking silly. I don't need greasy shine, but I want it to be JET black. A tire needs tire shine, otherwise it doesn't take long to start browning and looking dingy.

I took a quick photo (post coming below) but it wasn't really focused on the car, more just a quick "family photo". You can kinda see the tire though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dc_wright

Silicone is pretty neutral (unless you inject it into your boobs) so no worries on it degrading the tires. It does have a nasty tendency to migrate so if you've used it on your tires for a while you can forget about painting the wheels without getting some running or fish eye. If you wear contact lens, make certain you wear disposable gloves when you apply it to the tires or it will transfer to your lens when you handle them and cloud them, even if you've washed your hands. There's no known solvent for silicone so it gets dispersed not diluted, that's why the shine last so long on your tires.

Good to know, I think I'll order some of this. I have no designs on painting my wheels.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dc_wright

Vegemite might be a good substitute.........

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeGerman

Chad, I've recently switched to using tire gels, rather than sprays. The only gel available at my local big box auto store is from Black Magic (THIS stuff). It keeps the tires looking great for a really long time, even after rain and car washes. My tires look good for over a month after applying. I'll admit, it is a bit shiny for my taste at first, but after a few days it soaks in a little bit and becomes less glossy and more of a semi-gloss. Since it's a gel, you don't get any sling like you do with the sprays, either. Takes considerably longer to apply than a spray, but I think it's well worth it. I always hated tire shines in a can due to A) having to breath it while applying, B) cleaning up over-spray, C) short lifespan, and D) sling.

I only tried aerosol shines once and hated it, so I haven't used them since I was 16 .

I mostly used liquid in a bottle with a sprayer (a la Windex) and a little brush which is what gives me the best results. I've tried gels and can't stand them. Even used sparingly, I find them all over the rockers and bumper after just a couple days.

While I haven't tried that particular product, I've tried several very similar and all with the same results.

There's no shortage of awesome products to use if you want to spend some money (AMMO products come to mind as well), but I think part of Chad's interest was low cost. And yeah, when I use the Black Magic gel, I use the method they provide to get the least amount of shine, which is simply to apply a thin line of gel to the applicator sponge and rub it into the sponge before applying to the tire. Prevents sling and allows me to get more out of a tube.

The key with tire shine is to apply as soon as your tires are clean and dry after the wash. Then it can sit and soak in while you buff, or polish, or wax, or clean the inside etc.

Also, using a terry clothe rag to soak up the excess works well too. I use a tool called a swabby to apply, pretty easy to use and is great for getting in the side tread in mud terrain tires and the like. As far as aerosol shine, it all depends on the brand and technique. Some are very nice, some not so much. I always give the wheels a basic clean or pressure wash first, dry, shine tires, then finish off the wheels including removing any excess shine and polishing.